MacArthur Park

MacArthur Park: End of a love affair? Deeply symbolic? One hit too many?
by Miguel Muelle on Thursday, November 25, 2010 at 11:26pm



I first heard this song around 1973, and thought it must be very profound, because I had no idea what it was actually saying. My English teacher had me write a paper about it and I have no idea what I wrote, but I got to know the words very well. I still had no idea what he was saying.

The fact that Richard Harris was singing was already interesting, but that he was emoting about a cake and a recipe, and, "Oh No!!!" was even more curious. The music is very appealing and complex, apparently modulating up in ways that I was not used to, certainly not in the early 70s.

So tonight I thought of the song, looked up the words and remembered my fascination with this little bit of, perhaps, emperors' new clothing. Hearing it again, I like it even more than years ago. It is really great music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKRLnTcF61k

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Spring was never waiting for us, girl
It ran one step ahead
As we followed in the dance
Between the parted pages and were pressed
In love's hot, fevered iron
Like a striped pair of pants

MacArthur Park is melting in the dark
All the sweet, green icing flowing down
Someone left the cake out in the rain
I don't think that I can take it
'Cause it took so long to bake it
And I'll never have that recipe again
Oh, no!

I recall the yellow cotton dress
Foaming like a wave
On the ground around your knees
The birds, like tender babies in your hands
And the old men playing checkers by the trees

MacArthur Park is melting in the dark
All the sweet, green icing flowing down
Someone left the cake out in the rain
I don't think that I can take it'
Cause it took so long to bake it
And I'll never have that recipe again
Oh, no!

There will be another song for me
For I will sing it
There will be another dream for me
Someone will bring it
I will drink the wine while it is warm
And never let you catch me looking at the sun
And after all the loves of my life
After all the loves of my life
You'll still be the one

I will take my life into my hands and I will use it
I will win the worship in their eyes and I will lose it
I will have the things that I desire
And my passion flow like rivers through the sky
And after all the loves of my life
After all the loves of my life
I'll be thinking of you
And wondering why

MacArthur Park is melting in the dark
All the sweet, green icing flowing down
Someone left the cake out in the rain
I don't think that I can take it'
Cause it took so long to bake it
And I'll never have that recipe again
Oh, no! Oh, no
No, no
Oh no!!